The Patriots Daily Bites of American History Series 1: The Great Awakening

The General State of the Country in 1760s by Pastor Gregory Dixon, US History teacher at Temple Baptist College edited by Dr. Bob Cosby page 51 manuscript for students. In 1763 there were 13 colonies. the growth of the colonies from 1607 Jamestown to 1620 Plymouth to the end of the French and Indian War had been slow but steady.

For a century and a half the colonies had been “making roots” and getting that firm hold so necessary for the future growth of a free and powerful nation. By the 19th century the entire population was approximately two million, all east pf the Alleghenies. West of these mountains the country was really a howling wilderness. the majority of the colonists were of English descent.

Next in number came the Germans in Pennsylvania, the Dutch in New York, the Irish and Scotch Irish and the French Protestants mostly of South Carolina. Education: Books: Jonathan Edwards and Benjamin Franklin: Schools had long been established and most of the colonists could read and write fairly well.

Very few books were published but the rich had imported a stock of the best English authors and what’s more they read them. the two ablest authors of that day were Reverend Jonathan Edwards of Massachusetts and Benjamin Franklin of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Edwards wrote his great work on Freedom of the Will for that small number of readers that like a book that forces them to think as well as read. two resolutions Edwards made to help mold the character of the colonists were:

1) “To do whatever I think to be my duty,” and

2) “To live with all my might while I do live.” thousands of young men learned these two resolutions by heart and found their reward in the prosperity and independence to which they led. Franklin did not confine himself to writing.

He was also greatly interested in scientific experiments. Franklin said, “There are no bounds in the force man may raise and use in the electrical way.

” In view of what is now being done in this “electrical way” the word of the Philadelphian printer, philosopher and statesman reads like prophecy today.